EU to ban Bisphenol A in baby bottles in 2011

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The European Union will ban the use of organic compound Bisphenol A (BPA) in plastic baby bottles from 2011 with the backing of a majority of EU governments, the EU's executive Commission said on Thursday.

"There were areas of uncertainty, deriving from new studies, which showed that BPA might have an effect on development, immune response and tumour promotion," said John Dalli, Commissioner in charge of Health and Consumer Policy, in a statement.

"The decision ... is good news for European parents who can be sure that as of mid-2011 plastic infant feeding bottles will not include BPA."

EU states will outlaw the manufacture of polycarbonate feeding bottles containing the compound from March 2011, and ban their import and sale from June 2011, the Commission said.